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Monday, May 20, 2013

Rock Steady Military Cadences (with sound files & lyrics)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post presents four examples of the "Rock Steady" military cadence. Brief informational excerpts about the history & purposes of military cadences is also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for cultural and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the composers of these military cadences.

Thanks also to all those who valiantly and ethically serve in the armed services. Thanks to the YouTube publishers of these sound files and to those who I have quoted.

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INFORMATION ABOUT MILITARY CADENCES
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_cadence
"In the armed services, a military cadence or cadence call is a traditional call-and-response work song sung by military personnel while running or marching. In the United States, these cadences are sometimes called jody calls or jodies, after Jody, a recurring character who figures in some traditional cadences."

Dating back to the Revolutionary War, the Army cadence has been an important tradition that has withstood the test of time. Used to motivate, inspire and keep the Soldiers' steps in time, cadences foster a cohesive company while at the same time handing down the rich oral traditions of the U.S. Army. In addition, cadences help the Soldiers by controlling and strengthening their breathing during the strenuous marches and runs."

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Example #2: ROCK STEADY (Example #2)
[This is a call & response chant. The squad repeats what the drill sergeant says. Notice the slight change in this instruction found in this example after the word "response" in brackets.]

Rock me, Rock me, Rock, Rock steady,
Roll me, Roll me, Roll me ready,
We’re gonna rock,
All night long,
We’re gonna Roll,
'Til the break of dawn.
We’re gonna swing it,
'Til we wanna go home.
We’re gonna shake it,
'Til the twilight zone,
We’re gonna rock
Rock,
Roll,
Get,
Stay,
Ready,
Ready
Ah We are ready,
I said we are ready ready ready
[Response] -we are ready ready ready
Shake rattle and roll everybody
Shake rattle and roll everybody
Hoah
Ha ha
Hoah
Ha Ha
Here we go
Here we go
Here we go
Here we go
Left right layo*
Left right layo
Madea said layo**
Had a tough time
I said left right layo
Whole lot of layo
Madea said layo
Had a double time
-unmotivated, Uploaded on Jul 6, 2008
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell. Additions and corrections are welcome.
*I'm unsure if the word "layo" is correct.
**I'm unsure if the word "Madea" is correct. "Madea" is African American English referent that is a combination of the words "mother dear". [Update: June 9, 2016: Hat tip to Anonymous who corrected "Madea" for "My DS".

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Example #3: ROCK STEADY (Example #3)
This is a call & response chant. The squad repeats what the drill sergeant says. Notice the slight change in this instruction found in this example after the word response in brackets.

Rock

Steady

Roll

Ready

Rock your body body
Rock your body body

Now roll your body body
Roll your body body

[Reponse] Roll your body body
Roll your body [All the similar responses start with the verb, using this same pattern]

Now slide your body body
Slide your body body

Now glide your body body
Glide your body body

And don’t beat your body body
Beat your body body

And don’t cheat your body body
Cheat your body body

And don’t peep your body body
Peep your body body

Rock

Steady

Roll

Ready

The day I was born
I rocked I rocked steady

I jumped up and down
I rock, I rock steady

I turned all around
I rock, I rock steady

I moved in the aisle
and rock, rock steady

This here army don’t need no LAZY man.

One of these days we may have to go to war again.

And when we get there we have to be ready.
Do it on your left foot and do it steady.

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About Me

I'm an African American mother, grandmother, & retired human services administrator. For more than forty years I have shared adapted West African stories with audiences in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.
I have four blogspots: pancocojams, zumalayah, cocojams2, and .Civil Rights Songs. Much of the content of these blogs were previously found on my cocojams and jambalayah cultural websites. I curate all of these blogs on a voluntary basis.
Each of these blogs have the primary goal of raising awareness about cultural aspects of African American culture and of other Black cultures throughout the world, particularly in regards to music & dance traditions.
Viewer comments are welcome on my blogspots.